


Indeed

by epaynter



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23729797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epaynter/pseuds/epaynter
Summary: Jake stops by the Holt-Cozner household after the events of 'Ransom' to get his clothes back and return Kevin's.
Relationships: Kevin Cozner & Jake Peralta, Kevin Cozner/Ray Holt, Ray Holt & Jake Peralta
Comments: 40
Kudos: 420





	Indeed

Several hours after one of the best moments of his life (well, probably hit about top ten- Amy held about five of them that couldn’t be matched with anything or anyone), Jake had found himself finishing up the case file in the bullpen after sending a very detailed email to Charles (not worth the texting it- the last time he texted him about an ultrasound, Charles sent him about 72 replies that contained no actual words and the whole emoji keyboard) titled ‘I’M RIGGS!’ which had taken him at least forty minutes.

He is halfway to the precinct elevator with his bag draped over his shoulder when Rosa quips at him.

"Hey professor, how's Cheddar doing?"

"Good. Kevin brought him home after we- _shit_ , I forgot about his clothes," He looks down for a moment before glancing back in the direction of the office.

Rosa shrugs, "The captain is already gone. Said something about needing to hold his fluffy boy."

"Right. Well, I guess I’m making a stop on my way home."

"Guess so," She says.

She gives him a pat on the shoulder and moves past him towards the elevator. He feels a dull ache in his shoulders as he follows her and he wonders when he got so old. And why these clothes felt so much comfortable than his own.

"Do you think they make this fabric in a well-fitted shirt?" He asks while pulling at the vest.

Rosa stares at him.

"Nope, right. I’m kidding these clothes are so horrible and not at all comfortable, let’s go."

After Jake rings the doorbell, he wonders briefly if he should have waited until tomorrow to return it. Except for the fact that he does _really_ want his jacket back. And Kevin might want the absurd amount of GPS tags he purchased. The air is cool, windy, with the porch lights casting shadows of flickering leaves on the stone steps. It takes some time before the door opens and he is almost startled when it does.

"Peralta," Holt says. Jake had been expecting more exasperation but, much to his surprise, his eyes are warm, "Sorry it took so long to answer the door. Kevin and I had just finished bathing Cheddar. That fluffy boy can be a bit of a handful during bath time. Come in,"

"I just stopped by to do a quick clothing swap again," Jake replies, stepping into the entryway, "I kind of forgot about the whole thing during your kickass fight scene."

"It wasn’t a ‘fight scene’, it was an action. An action called justice."

"Whatever. I hope you know that sounds way cooler anyway."

He removes his, _well Kevin’s_ , shoes. Holt has a wine glass in his hand now (did he have that the whole time? Jake had only looked down for a minute) and is wearing a navy blue sweater with the sleeves rolled up. Jake thinks he looks tired, far more tired than himself, but relaxed. He notices the cuts and injuries Holt endured seemed to have been cleaned and covered. Only Kevin could talk him into that. He’d do anything at the request of the professor.

He thinks that Holt is the most incredible man he has ever known- more than every single action film character he grew up admiring, more than every inspiration that drove him to become a cop. He doesn’t say this. The words feel like a pale comparison to reality.

There is a jingle from upstairs.

"Here he comes," Holt exclaims as the fluffy, short-legged dog bounds down the stairs, tail wagging excessively.

"Cheddar, hey buddy," Jake kneels as Cheddar runs towards him. He puts both hands in his fur and ruffles him around the ears, "Aren’t you looking freshly cleaned and very _fluffy_."

"He appreciates the accuracy."

Kevin is at the top of the stairs with a towel in hand. Jake suddenly feels as if he is in a weirdly domestic moment as he has never seen the man not well-manicured since their time in the safe house. Kevin had rid himself of Jake’s clothing and had on a white button-up shirt with two buttons undone at the top. His sleeves are rolled up neatly just above the elbow and it is loosely tucked into his dark slacks.

"Hi, Kev. I brought your clothes back," Jake says.

"Thank you for that. Yours are just about done in the dryer- I washed them and cleaned out your pockets. What exactly was in there?"

"My bet is on melted candy worms," Holt offers and takes a sip of his wine.

Jake makes a face at him, "Wrong. It was melted _gummi bears_."

"Horrifying," Kevin says, "At any rate, do you want to come up for a moment and change in the washroom? I’ll go fetch your belongings."

Jake glances at Holt briefly who simply blinks and tilts his head in the direction of the stairs.

"Yep, I’m coming."

He starts up the stairs and can hear Holt complimenting Cheddar behind him on the coat of his fur ("My boy, you are looking very groomed now.") and the strangeness of this situation has him smiling despite his own exhaustion.

Kevin leads him into a laundry room and begins to remove his clothes from the dryer, folding them neatly on top.

"You don’t have to do that. I’m just going to throw them on in a second anyway."

A piercing stare with an additional eyebrow raise.

"Or you can do that. If you want to," Jake offers instead. It is a clean, warm little room and he takes notice of his leather jacket hanging on the built-in racking. He grabs it while Kevin busies himself with the laundry.

"Thank you for helping us save Cheddar. It wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for you."

Jake feels a burst of warmth in his chest, "Of course. I mean, it was actually kind of fun getting to pretend to be you and plus, the captain was _awesome_. I’d never let anything happen to Cheddar."

 _Or you. Or the captain either_ , Jake thinks.

"I’m sorry for what I said earlier about everyone liking Cheddar better than you. I was upset and I took it out on you." Kevin says softly, "In fact, I was quite worried about you when you were taken. I’m glad you’re safe, Jake."

The burst of warmth now felt like little stars exploding against his ribcage. Kevin hands him the stack of folded, warm clothes and Jake feels safe. Whenever he is around him, he always feels safe.

"You can just bring my clothes in here when you’re done and put them in the hamper."

Jake goes to change in the bathroom.

Removing Kevin’s clothes, he throws on his own and looks in the mirror. Not only does he feel exhausted, he looks it. The clothes feel like a cocoon and they smell faintly of the captain and the professor. Likely the detergent. He could probably fall asleep right now if he didn’t have an aching need, the only thing keeping him conscious, to see Amy.

He finishes up and puts Kevin’s clothes away as requested. Walking down the hallway, he nears the top of the stairs, stopping at the sight of Kevin and the captain together below in the entryway.

"I still think it should have actual gauze on it, Raymond. It is a deeper wound than the rest."

Kevin is touching his temple with his thumb as Holt has a hand grasping Kevin’s waist.

"It’s fine, I promise you," Holt says in a tone of voice Jake has never heard before. It is even more gentle than he thought his voice could reach.

"A promise isn’t really a sound medical argument but I will let you have this one," Kevin responds.

Holt kisses his husband then, chastely in a soft and slow manner, before glancing up at the stairs, "Peralta, what are you doing?"

Jake squeaks, "Sorry! I just- I was just, I’m leaving now. Sorry for interrupting."

Kevin rolls his eyes and removes his hand from Holt’s face as Jake bounds down the stairs.

"You weren’t interrupting anything."

"Well," Holt adds.

Kevin gives him a look.

"It’s fine, I have to get going anyway, Amy is probably waiting up for me," Jake says, "By the way, I think you’re an incredible couple and I wish I didn’t find that as emotional as I did. Talk soon?"

Kevin smiles at him fully this time, with all of his affection unguarded, "Indeed, indeed, indeed."

**Author's Note:**

> It's two thirty in the morning. I can't stop thinking about this episode.


End file.
